13 Day Botswana Ultimate Wildlife Adventure

Your extraordinary journey begins with your arrival at Maun Airport. From here, you’ll immediately depart, heading in a south-easterly direction towards the combined Nxai Pan & Makgadikgadi National Parks. Depending on the weather conditions, your guide will lead you on a visit to the iconic Baines Baobabs on Kudiakam Pans, an integral part of the Makgadikgadi Pans. While Baines Baobabs might be inaccessible during heavy rains, rest assured that Nxai Pan remains reachable. This area truly comes alive in the rainy season, attracting large numbers of zebra as they gather for their annual migration.

Wake up to the sounds of the bush for an early morning game drive along Nxai Pan. The wildlife here is dynamic, changing with the availability of grass and water, but you can easily spot zebra, wildebeest, springbok, impala, giraffe, and ostrich. Keep your eyes peeled for all the major predators, and during the wet season, buffalo and elephant are also present. The waterhole is a hub of activity, especially for various birds of prey. You’ll return to camp for a delicious brunch around midmorning, with the afternoon dedicated to further game drives to the waterhole and enjoying sundowners from an attractive spot as the day ends.

After breakfast, your game drive continues onto the Kgamma-kgamma pan, which forms the northern boundary of Nxai Pan National Park. This area is famed for hosting large volumes of zebra and other plains game during their migration, and you may also encounter bull elephants in small herds. Be aware that the terrain adjacent to the salt pans can be undulated and sometimes unreachable. In the afternoon, you’ll drive approximately 35km to revisit or discover the magnificent Baines Baobabs on Kudiakam Pan. On your return to Nxai Pan, another stop at the waterhole in search of predators awaits.

Today, you’ll bid farewell to Nxai Pan after breakfast, embarking on a game drive en-route back to the main road that leads to Maun. Your expert guide will drop you off at your comfortable Bed & Breakfast in Maun around lunchtime, allowing you to enjoy a relaxing afternoon at leisure.

Start your day by either relaxing at your hotel or exploring the vibrant town of Maun. After lunch, a representative will pick you up and transfer you to Maun Airport for an exciting light aircraft flight to the world-renowned Moremi Game Reserve. Upon landing at the Xakanaxa airstrip, your guide will meet you. The rivers and floodplains of the Okavango Delta in Moremi are teeming with life, where herds of red lechwe, buffalo, and hippo are commonly seen. Midday often brings sightings of breeding herds of elephants coming to drink. Moremi is particularly celebrated for its healthy wild dog population, and lions, leopard, and cheetah are frequently sighted. You’ll arrive at your camp in the late afternoon, with time to settle into your tent and enjoy sundowners around the campfire before a delicious dinner in the dining tent.

Your day begins with early morning coffee or tea, followed by a full morning’s game drive to explore the rich biodiversity of Moremi. You’ll return to camp around 11:00 for a well-deserved delicious brunch, offering time to shower, rest, and relax. After afternoon tea, you’ll set off again for an afternoon game drive through Moremi’s intricate network of rivers and lagoons. A highlight of the day is a motorboat cruise on the Xaxanaka lagoon or Mboma waterways to visit the famous heronries of the eastern Okavango. The evening concludes back at camp, relaxing around the campfire before dinner.

After breakfast, you will leave Xakanaxa, embarking on an interesting riverine route through Moremi. Your journey culminates in setting up camp within sight of the picturesque Khwai River, near Moremi’s North Gate. This area offers a different perspective on the Delta’s diverse landscapes and wildlife.

Spend your day with both early morning and afternoon game drives, thoroughly exploring the rich Khwai River area. This region is renowned for its diverse game, and you’ll have ample opportunities to spot a variety of species. Don’t miss the Dombo Hippo Pools, offering not only the chance to see plenty of hippo but also providing breathtaking sunsets. During the heat of the day, you’ll have leisure time to read, relax, and soak in the tranquil sounds of the wild, followed by afternoon tea before your sunset game drive.

Enjoy an early morning game drive for one last look at the captivating Khwai before returning to camp for breakfast. Today marks a significant shift as you leave Moremi, embarking on an interesting day’s drive northwards to Savuti. A stop en route will provide time for lunch. As you travel, you’ll pass over the Mababe depression, once a vast lake, a critical area during the summer months when approximately 20,000 zebras undertake their annual migration from Northern Chobe via Savuti and Mababe to the Makgadikgadi Pans. The Savuti channel and marsh, famously dry since 1980, incredibly received water again in 2009. The marsh is now partially covered, attracting large concentrations of game and birds, and it will be fascinating to observe how this water influences the famous Savuti bull elephant population.

Your day in Savuti kicks off with an early morning drive dedicated to searching for the renowned Savuti predators. This area has been the backdrop for many of the most amazing wildlife documentaries filmed over the last 25 years, often highlighting the fierce competition between different predators. Savuti also features unique rocky outcrops, offering a chance to spot the agile Klipspringer antelope, and a small collection of Bushmen rock art, providing a glimpse into ancient cultures. The day includes both morning and afternoon game drives, with ample leisure time to relax during the midday heat.

After breakfast, you will depart for the iconic Chobe River, a highlight of your safari. This region is incredibly famous for its breeding herds of elephant and massive herds of buffalo, which you are almost guaranteed to see in abundance. The Chobe riverfront is undeniably one of Southern Africa’s premier game viewing spots, where it’s possible to witness over a thousand elephants and buffalo in a single afternoon. Keep an eye out for shy antelope species like the Chobe bushbuck, Roan, and Sable antelope. A small population of Puku antelope, typically common on the floodplains of Zambia, can also be found here. For avid birdwatchers, Chobe is a paradise, with huge amounts of water birds congregating, especially during the summer months. On the afternoon of our second day in Chobe, a thrilling boating excursion on the Chobe River offers a unique perspective and new dimension to your game viewing experience.

After a final leisurely breakfast, we slowly journey out of Chobe National Park towards Kasane, savoring our last moments in this wildlife haven. From Kasane, it’s time to bid farewell as you are transferred to Livingstone, where your transfer company will ensure you arrive at the airport in good time for your international flight. (Please note: Visa and departure taxes are for your own account.)